Music's Last Great Icon

There have been only a few elite acts that have changed the face and future of the music industry: The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson.

Jackson has influenced more current artists than anyone else. The name Michael Jackson is probably better known than Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, or Pope Benedict. When he announced that he'd do dozens of shows in London, he sold them all out in minutes.

What current artist could do that? Madonna? Justin Timberlake? U2? Beyonce? George Strait? There isn't one.

The greatest concert I attended, and may ever attend, was Paul McCartney. It was a history lesson. It was a trip through music history. It was an experience. How could a single group produce so many hits? How did they change and influence music over the years...and remain relevant?

Some would argue there was nothing relevant about Michael Jackson anymore. It's certainly been awhile since he's produced a hit. However, I think we're rediscovering Jackson's relevance in his death.

I'm not sure that we'll ever see an artist who influenced so many other artists or had the ability to draw crowds like Michael Jackson. I'm not sure we'll ever see an artist whose music can stand the test of time as Jackson's did. I'm not sure we'll ever see or experience another icon like "The King of Pop."

Memories of Michael Jackson

Multiple sources are now confirming the death of Michael Jackson. Share your memories with us about the "King of Pop" in the area below.

Addicted to Reality TV?

Thank goodness “I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here”, “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” and “Jon and Kate Plus 8” are off the air for awhile. Hopefully now, I’ll quit sitting in front of the television every night!

Lately, I’ve spent my Mondays flipping between “I’m A Celebrity…” and “Jon and Kate.” I’ll admit, there’s no reason to watch “Jon and Kate” when they aren’t talking about their relationship. I don’t care about Jon visiting the guys from Orange County Chopper or the kids cooking with Emeril. Based on ratings, I don’t think I’m alone.

Tuesday, I move onto “I’m a Celebrity” and NJ Housewives. The girls of New Jersey are particularly interesting and insane. Mafia connections? I think so. I’ll have the DVR rolling tonight for part 2 of the reunion tonight. I’m interested to see why the rock of the group, Caroline, breaks down like a schoolgirl after skinning her knee. I just heard some buzz in the newsroom that a Danielle sex tape is out there and may be released soon. Geez! Sounds like these housewives will be back for a second season.

Wednesday, it’s onto “I’m a Celebrity” and “Top Chef: Masters.” I like seeing these celebrity chefs struggle. It’s not so easy, huh? Back in the day, I hated Top Chef but have quickly grown to love it. It was painful seeing Tim Love struggle like he did a couple weeks ago. We’ve been to a couple of his restaurants in Fort Worth. He seems like a great chef, but it’s definitely not easy when you’re given a challenge.



As far as "I'm a Celebrity..." goes, I think the right person won last night. Lou Diamond Phillips did a great job throughout the competition. Torrie Wilson also brought it. Hopefully, they get a better group of celebrities next year so more people watch it. If not, that could be the end of that reality show.

So now that the reality fever is over, I wonder what’s next. Will I find a new show? Will I find a hobby? We’ll see…

Working Mom

My name is Brandi Fordyce, and I am the assignments editor for both KTAB and KRBC. I am married and the proud mother of two great kids. Jackie is 3 years old, and Wyatt is 2 months.

For me, making the decision to go back to work after Wyatt was born was a tough one. I love my job! I love my kids! What do I do? Do I quit my job and become a stay at home mom or do I go back to work? I chose to return to work. My husband and I had numerous discussions on what would be best for our family, and in the end returning to work was the best decision for us.

Now that I’m back to work the juggling act has begun. My day starts at 6 a.m. I get both kids dressed, fed and ready for the day. My mother takes care of Jackie and Wyatt while I work. She is one of the main reasons why I felt like I could go back to work. She is awesome with the kids and loves them like they are hers. I try to have the kids to her house by 8:45 a.m but it’s more like 8:55 a.m.when we actually get there.

Work starts at 9 a.m. I’m usually late. Getting out of the house is hard. My job is demanding. All day long I answer phones, write stories, listen to police scanners, answer questions and make sure our newscasts have good local content. It’s stressful but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I leave work at 6 p.m. and go pick up my family. On a good night my hubby has beaten me home and started dinner. If not, I do. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. it’s family time with Jackie and Wyatt. After that, it is the 4B’s for Jackie- bath, brush teeth, book and bed. Then it’s Wyatt time. He eats every two hours. So that means I am up at 12 a.m., 2 a.m., 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. Needless to say I don’t get much sleep.

At first I was worried about missing out on their lives by choosing to work. What if I miss their first step or first smile? The way I look at it, it is only the first. My kids are going to take millions of steps and have millions of smiles and I will be there for most of them. So what if I didn’t get to see the first. Our family makes the most of the time we have.

Dog Wash Tested

Our dog recently got skunked and is still a little stinky. So, we decided to test out the new dog wash near Buffalo Gap Rd. along Winters Freeway. Here's a snippet of our experience.

Overall, we enjoyed the place. It's $5 and a little difficult to rinse the dog off because of the tub slowly draining. However, it's perfect if your dog ever gets really nasty!

Racist Press Release?

Sometimes people can make racist digs and not even know it. Like a certain elderly relative of mine who says things like, "She's black, but she's really pretty."

We get a lot of sloppily-written press releases and news tips, and yesterday's really irked me.

They are a Hispanic couple, but chose to renovate this house in this community, and it is beautiful.

Did you catch it?

They are a Hispanic couple, but chose to renovate this house in this community, and it is beautiful.

Even if it said "and," does it really matter what race they are?!

I'm not originally from Abilene and I don't know the demographics of the community in which this beautiful renovation took place. Is it primarily Hispanic? Black? White? Don't know, don't care.

Watch what you say, people. We're all the same.

Jon and Kate: Who Do You Support?

We all usually try to remain impartial in the newsroom. We’re journalists. We don’t take sides.

Unless, of course, we’re debating the growing rift between reality television stars Jon and Kate Gosselin.

That’s an issue we just can’t keep silent on.

I wasn’t one of the 9.8 million people who watched the season premiere of “Jon or Kate Plus 8.” I forgot about it! So, I was one of the few million that likely watched last night’s encore presentation.

I hate to admit it – but I was on the edge of my seat for the entire hour!

Throughout the years this show has been on TV, I always felt Kate Gosselin mistreated her husband. Usually, it was barking orders at him. However, it now looks like she’s telling him how to live. Jon is a passive fellow. I’m guessing Jon kept all his frustration inside and then finally exploded. Was he in the wrong? Sure. Did Kate deserve it? No…no one deserves it. Did she ask for it? You bet!

I, like millions of others, will be glued to my television set for the rest of the season. Do I feel good about watching it? No. I worry about the kids. But like a train wreck, it’s difficult not to look.

Hopefully, this will be the last season. We’ll just have to wait and see…